WEBVTT >> STOCKTON POLICE FIRST DEPLOYED THEIR DRONES BACK IN JANUARY. THE DEPARTMENT DOESN’T HAVE A HELICOPTER. GETTING ONE HERE, THEY SAY, COULD TAKE UPWARDS OF 20 MINTUES. SO THEY’VE TURNED TO THESE UNMANED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS. IT HELPED LEAD TO THE ARREST OF A 16-YEAR-OLD ATTEMPTED HOMICIDE SUSPECT THREE DAYS AGO. >> THIS WAS AN INCIDENT THAT WE GOT FROM OUR COMMUNITY RESPONSE TEAM. IT WAS A GOOD ARREST. >> WHILE ARRESTING THAT 16-YEAR-OLD, STOCKTON POLICE SAY THEIR DRONE OPERATOR NOTICED SOMETHING ELSE, A MAN STICKING A GUN INTO HIS WAISTBAND, THEN GETTING IN A CAR AND LEAVING. THEY SAY THAT LED TO A TRAFFIC STOP AND THE ARREST OF 22-YEAR-OLD TERRY EMERSON. EMERSON FACES MULTIPLE GUN CHARGES AFTER POLICE SAY THEY DISCOVERED THESE HANDGUNS IN HIS POSSESSION. POLICE ARRESTED BOTH EMERSON AND THE 16-YEAR-OLD AT TAFT PARK. DAVID WELLENBROCK, A FORMER PUBLIC DEFENDER AND DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND A PROFESSOR AT HUMPHREYS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW SAYS REGULATIONS ARE STILL EVOLVING ON POLICE USE OF DRONES. >> AS INDIVIDUAL FACTUAL PATTERNS COME BEFORE THE COURTS, LAWYERS WILL CRAFT ARGUMENTS PRO AND CON AND THE COURTS WILL DECIDE THOSE AND THEY WILL END UP DEFINING SOME RULES ON HOW POLICE CAN USE DRONES. >> STOCKTON POLICE DEPARTMENT GUIDELINES ON THE USE OF DRONES SAY THEY’RE TO BE USED TO PROTECT LIVES AND PROPERTY AND ALSO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY. PILOTS ARE TO ADHERE TO FAA ALTITUDE REGULATIONS AND QUOTE SHALL NOT INTENTIONALLY RECORD OR TRANSMIT IMAGES OF ANY LOCATION WHERE A PERSON WOULD HAVE A REASONABLE EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY, END QUOTE. IN STOCKTON, MAX RESNIK, KCRA 3 NE

Stockton police arrested two people Tuesday and said a drone helped lead them to their suspects. Police arrested a 16-year-old attempted homicide suspect at Taft Park in south Stockton."This was an incident that we got from our community response team. It was a good arrest," Stockton police spokesperson Rosie Calderon said. During the arrest of the 16-year-old, whose name was withheld because the person is a minor, the department's drone operator noticed a man putting a gun into his waistband.That man, later identified as 22-year-old Terry Emerson, then left the area in a car, police said. Officers stopped and arrested him after discovering three handguns. He now faces multiple weapons charges.The department began using the drones in January, according to Officer Joe Silva. The department now has six drones, which provide the aerial support it previously didn't have.Department policy on the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems, or drones, states that they're to be used to enhance the department's mission to protect lives and property. It can also create more transparency in the community. The regulated use, however, is still evolving, according to David Wellenbrock, who is a former public defender, deputy district attorney and longtime law professor at Humphreys University's law program. "As individual factual patterns come before the courts, lawyers will craft arguments pro and con," Wellenbrock said. "The courts will decide those and they will end up defining some rules on how police can use drones."Department policy states that its pilots will adhere to FAA altitude regulations and "shall not intentionally record or transmit images of any location where a person would have a reasonable expectation of privacy.""Over a public area, the privacy concerns are less, but you still don't really expect drones to be over your head," Wellenbrock said. "So, I expect the law to have some development in that area to try to get some regulations or rules established through common law, through case law."Department policy also states that drones cannot be used to conduct random surveillance.

STOCKTON, Calif. (KCRA) —

Stockton police arrested two people Tuesday and said a drone helped lead them to their suspects.

Police arrested a 16-year-old attempted homicide suspect at Taft Park in south Stockton.

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"This was an incident that we got from our community response team. It was a good arrest," Stockton police spokesperson Rosie Calderon said.

Stockton Police Dept.

During the arrest of the 16-year-old, whose name was withheld because the person is a minor, the department's drone operator noticed a man putting a gun into his waistband.

That man, later identified as 22-year-old Terry Emerson, then left the area in a car, police said. Officers stopped and arrested him after discovering three handguns. He now faces multiple weapons charges.

Department policy on the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems, or drones, states that they're to be used to enhance the department's mission to protect lives and property. It can also create more transparency in the community.

The regulated use, however, is still evolving, according to David Wellenbrock, who is a former public defender, deputy district attorney and longtime law professor at Humphreys University's law program.

"As individual factual patterns come before the courts, lawyers will craft arguments pro and con," Wellenbrock said. "The courts will decide those and they will end up defining some rules on how police can use drones."

Department policy states that its pilots will adhere to FAA altitude regulations and "shall not intentionally record or transmit images of any location where a person would have a reasonable expectation of privacy."

"Over a public area, the privacy concerns are less, but you still don't really expect drones to be over your head," Wellenbrock said. "So, I expect the law to have some development in that area to try to get some regulations or rules established through common law, through case law."

Department policy also states that drones cannot be used to conduct random surveillance.